Dunga's Brazil Squad Announcement Is Encouraging but Boss Must Tread Carefully

Dunga seems back to his old combative self and the honeymoon period, such as it was, is certainly over. The man at the helm of the Selecao ship is sending a message loud and clear: No player is untouchable.

The Brazil boss named his second squad since returning to the post this past Wednesday and laid down the law to his charges. The major positive is he has swiftly identified, for the time being at least, the players he sees as forming the basis for his playing philosophy.

The changes to the 22 are minimal. Brazil travel to China and Singapore for friendlies against Argentina and Japan in mid-October with largely the same group that oversaw narrow victories over Colombia and Ecuador earlier this month.

The only alterations come at full-back, with Mario Fernandes and Dodo in for Maicon and Marcelo respectively. There remains, meanwhile, no room for the likes of Lucas Moura, Paulo Henrique Ganso or Dede.

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Hulk, who scored the first goal of this season's UEFA Champions League group stages, has been omitted in what could be perceived as the manager's wish to send a clear message. Called up initially for the first squad, the Zenit forward was forced to pull out with an injury to his right thigh. Now, Dunga describes him as being at the “fim de fila”—the end of the queue. Step off the path once, and it may be a while until you get your next bite of the cherry.

Dunga explained he was not happy with the conduct of the club or the player in relation to the injury he suffered, as reported by UOL Esporte (link in Portuguese). The forward returned for Zenit in the Russian league last weekend before netting against Benfica on Tuesday night, and it had been assumed he would be back in Dunga's plans for the upcoming friendlies.

Now Hulk, who has constantly divided fans since his international inclusion, is out in the cold, with no indication when he will be ushered into the warmth again. The boss has spoken with the force of an iron fist.

Dunga's immediate quest is to build a side prior to the 2015 Copa America in Chile, capable of bringing home a title following the shame of the World Cup. But his cautious posture this week does not promote the notion of experimentation that is arguably needed at what must be one of the most fragile moments in the Selecao's history.

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To complicate matters further domestically, the manager's squad announcement flies in the face of what many Brazilian bosses had said would be beneficial for their clubs over recent days.

Of the 22 called up by Dunga, seven play their club football in the Campeonato Brasileiro. The Brazilian league will cede more players than any other competition, at a pivotal time of the season.

Botafogo, who slipped back into the relegation zone on Wednesday night following a fourth successive defeat, will lose captain and leader Jefferson. In addition, league leaders Cruzeiro, alongside Atletico Mineiro, Corinthians and Santos will all be forced to lose key players as the championship reaches its crescendo.

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In short, there are some decisions that smack of making a point for the sake of it. In his press conference, Dunga refused to guarantee the return of Thiago Silva, as reported by ESPN Brasil (link in Portuguese), a move that, should the captain be dropped long term, would be so foolhardy as to be unthinkable.

Shorn of Silva in the World Cup semi-final, the catastrophic consequences were laid bare for the watching world. Germany passed through Brazil like a knife through hot butter. Desperately missed in the country's hour of need, there is no defender hailing from these shores to match the Paris Saint-Germain stopper.

Brazil travel to China on October 5. The 29-year-old is expected back for the French champions this weekend, and, by the time of the match against Argentina, in over three weeks' time, should have regained match fitness.

It was encouraging to see continuity in Dunga's planning on Wednesday. But it is a fine line the boss must tread; laying down the law for no good reason rarely reaps benefits.